During the 70s, while still in his teens, Mitchell began playing with local bands in the city of Sarnia. After evolving through a few name changes with essentially the same band, Mitchell and a group titled "Zooom" headed off for Toronto, Ontario. The band eventually dissolved, with Mitchell travelling over to the Greek islands.
Upon his return to Canada, he formed the band Max Webster, which managed to finally break through commercially. Besides playing the group, Mitchell and wrote most of the band's songs with fellow Sarnia native and lyricist, Pye Dubois (Paul Woods). Max Webster toured extensively and built a string of hits. Mitchell's solo career began after his departure from Max Webster, with session work and a succession of solo albums.
In early 1985, the song "Go For Soda" from the Akimbo Alogo album became an international hit and perhaps remains his best known song outside of his native Canada.
In 2004, Mitchell entered the radio broadcasting industry, becoming afternoon drive time host on Toronto classic rock radio station Q107.
As of 2005, Mitchell, still does the afternoon drive time on Q107, and is working on a new double CD set for a Spring 2006 release.
In December of 2005, Mitchell had proposed to the Q107 listeners that they write a Christmas song together. The resulting song is entitled "A Christmas Smile". At the end of the song, Mitchell advises his fans not to drink and drive, but to "go for a soda" instead.
Lager And Ale
Kim Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got decisions to be made between lager and ale
When through the kitchen door come the dancing girl
Then everything on the menu mattered
Oh, the thoughts in my head, oh if she knew
I hope she'll nod at this drunken bar slob
'Cause I'm ready, willing and able
Over to the jukebox, I staggered
For a love song to scatter my body before her
Didn't have change and I lost my damn brains
So I started humming in-a-godda-da-vida
I'll pay the bar tab and even the cab
Off to the hotel we'll wallow
In the essence of love by the light of the neon
We'll be lost in our feelin's tomorrow
The song Lager And Ale by Kim Mitchell tells the story of a man who is out at the Bojar Grill, trying to decide between having a lager or ale. However, his decisions are interrupted by the arrival of a dancing girl from the kitchen. Suddenly, everything on the menu doesn't matter anymore because he is smitten by her. In his mind, he hopes that she notices him and chooses him despite his ragged state.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Yes, I'm ready, willing and able," which indicates the man's desire to be with the dancing girl. As he staggers to the jukebox to put on a love song, he realizes he doesn't have any change, and so he starts humming "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida." The song ends with the idea of him paying the bar tab and cab fare for them to go to a hotel together, where they can be lost in their feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
Late weekend night and I'm at the Bojar Grill
It's late at night and the singer is at a place called Bojar Grill.
I got decisions to be made between lager and ale
The singer has to decide whether to drink lager or ale.
When through the kitchen door come the dancing girl
A dancing girl enters through the kitchen door.
Then everything on the menu mattered
Everything else becomes unimportant when the girl enters.
Oh, the thoughts in my head, oh if she knew
The singer is thinking about the girl and wonders if she knows how he feels.
I hope she'll nod at this drunken bar slob
The singer hopes the girl will acknowledge him despite his drunken state.
'Cause I'm ready, willing and able
The singer is eager and willing to take action.
Yes, I'm ready, willing and able
Reinforcing that the singer is ready for what's to come.
Over to the jukebox, I staggered
The singer stumbles towards the jukebox.
For a love song to scatter my body before her
The singer wants to play a romantic song for the girl.
Didn't have change and I lost my damn brains
The singer doesn't have any change and feels helpless.
So I started humming in-a-godda-da-vida
The singer can't play the song, so he starts humming it instead.
I'll pay the bar tab and even the cab
The singer is willing to pay for everything.
Off to the hotel we'll wallow
The singer wants to go to a hotel with the girl.
Lyrics Β© Anthem Entertainment
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bizophone
In the year 2021 you can still hear this song being played simultaneously on 3 stations at once in any city in Canada.
@markcassel3392
Nice. Wish they were playing this inthe U.S.A.
@williambandyk327
@Mark Cassel COMPLETELY AGREED!!!!! If U.S.A. radio stations can play "GO For A Soda", they CERTAINLY CAN PLAY "LAGER & ALE" (THE BEER DRINKERS' ANTHEM)!!!!!! W/that said, I hereby grant u lifetime membership 2 the I TAPPA KEGGA" FRATERNITY (THE BEER DRINKERS' FRATERNITY)!!!!!! BTW, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2 U & UR FAMILY, MARK!!!!!
@markcassel3392
@William Bandyk thankyou so much.
@williambandyk327
@Mark Cassel U betcha!!!!! BTW; WINNER, WINNER!!!!! LIQUID DINNER!!!!! CHUG-A-LUG, MY FRIEND!!!!!
@danielosullivan3110
Professionals eh
@williambandyk327
Let's face it, folks, Kim Mitchell personifies what a ROCK & ROLL MUSICIAN TRULY IS!!!!! Moreso, his Canadian heritage ENHANCES THAT!!!!!
@marcanthonybattenberg7636
This is one of those songs that anyone can love, but Canadians will be able to love even more
@b.j.banditt8362
I'm from Detroit, MI (a "stone's throw" away from Windsor) but I my CANADIAN MUSICIANS!!!!!
@GianniMorelli90
this song was on my radio when my alarm woke me up this morning. I was literally headbanging to it as soon as I regained consciousness. Always new his songs and herd him on the radio every now and then, but after waking up to it and really listening to it. I am now a fan of KM